Shoe tree



Sept. 21, 1948. EN R. 2.449361 S'HOE TREE Filed Dec. 26, 1945 f Q i INVENTOR.

1O %7uwf Q BY 4440144 W d Patented Sept. 2 1948 snos Tana M p N William M. Renl'iiel, Chicago, In, assignorto Mackie-Lovejoy Manufacturing Company, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 26, 1945;, Serial atems'z 1 im m. (o1. 12 -12s.1)

This invention relates to animproved shoe tree, and in particular, to. a adapted for use with strap heel type.

The various types of shoe trees in use are provided with a front member which conforms to the shape of the interior of the toe of the shoe and with a rear member which reacts against the heel portion. When used with a sling strap type of heel, however, the rear member will slip out of engagement with the sling strap.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved shoe tree, the rear portion of which is notched, so that it may interlock with the sling strap of a womans shoe.

It is a further object to provide a shoe tree which has no separate rear member for engaging the heel of the shoe, but which comprises only a front toe engaging portion and a spring strip, the rear portion of which spring strip is shoe treejwhich is ladiesshoes of the sling shaped to engage either the usual heel portion of a shoe, or the sling strap of a shoe.

A still further object is to provide in a shoe tree of the type indicated, a special shape for the heel engaging portion of the spring strip, to the end that the spring strip will not bear directly against the edge of the heel portion.

Still another object is to provide a shoe tree having a novel and improved arrangement of parts, and one providing an improved action, and one which can be made inexpensively, and entirely of metal, and embodying an improved front toe engaging member.

Other objects, features and advantages Will become apparent as this description proceeds.

With reference now to the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of this invention is shown Fig. 1 is an elevation of a shoe tree;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the shoe tree of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the toe engaging member;

Fig. 4 shows the shoe tree of the sling strap heel type;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the application of the shoe tree to a shoe having the usual heel construction; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but on a smaller scale, and showing the parts in a changed position.

The shoe tree comprises a front toe engaging member NJ, and a resilient strip of spring'steel II. The parts are secured together by rivets I2.

The toe engaging member I 9 is preferably as applied to a shoe stamped from'a suitablyshaped blankof sheet steel so that the finished article is provided with a slot i3 whichis of appreciable width. The slot extends forward-1y and downwardly to a point about a half inch from the front edge of the member 10. The slit 26 which is present, due to the stamping operation, is maintained closed by a small reenforcing strip M which may be spot welded to the interior of the toe engaging member, as shown in Fig. 2.

The resilient strip I l is provided with a substantially straight portion l5, and toward its rear portion is provided with a curved portion [6 which is of comparatively small radius andlwhich is curved through an arc of degrees, or less. Adjacent the curved portion I6 is a straight portion I1 about a half inch long, and beyond the straight portion is a curved heel engaging portion l8.

The portions l6, l7 and it provide What could be termed a notched portion. When theshoe tree is applied to a womans shoe 20, as shown in Fig. 4, the sling strap I9 is engaged by the straight portion IT. The interlocking provided by the notched portion and the sling strap serves to maintain the shoe tree in the desired position.

When the shoe tree is applied to a mans shoe 22, as shown in Fig. 5, the portion l8 engages the interior surface of the heel 2| of the shoe, and the edge 23 of the heel is free from any contact with the resilient strip II. This clearance is desirable for the reason that the edge of the heel is usually provided with stitching 21. This stitching would be unduly worn and perhaps out, if it were subjected to repeated contact with the resilient strip ll.

Thus, the notched portion of the resilient strip is of utility, both with heels of the usual type and with heels of the sling strap type.

In Fig. 6 isshown the position assumed by the shoe tree when it has been inserted .into a shoe. The straight portion [5 assumes a reverse curve which comprises a positive curve 24, and a negative curve 25. When the shoe tree is in this position, the flexing of the resilient strip, as evidenced by the positive curve 24, exerts a torque on the toe engaging member ID which serves to urge the toe engaging portion tightly against the interior surface of the shoe. The flexing of the portion 25 of the resilient strip serves to urge the toe engaging member ii] forwardly and the heel engaging portion 18 rearwardly with a greater force than would ordinarily be present if the straight portion l5 were not caused toassume a. compound curve.

The slot l3 permits a circulation of air through the toe of the shoe, especially when used in a shoe of the type shown in Fig. 4.

Although only a preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown and described herein, it is evident that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from th-easpiriti ofithe intention as: defined by; the appended claim.

I claim:

A shoe tree comprising a toe engaging meme ber and a'resilient strip of metal secured tosaid. toe engaging member and extending rearwardly therefrom, said resilient stripuof; metal; having:

four portions, the first portion being substane tially straight and extending from said toepor tion in a, direction substantially; parallel. to the? longitudinal axis thereof, the second portion being curved through an. arc of substantially 90 degrees, the fourth portion being curved to form a: heel; engaging portiom, and? the. thirdi portion serving to connect; said. second; and fourth portions and being. ofiset from and: disposectsub;- stantia'liyfi parallel: to a -line tangent tonthee curves 4 of said second and fourth portions to provide a notched portion for alternatively engaging the sling strap of a sling strap heel type of shoe, or for clearing the upper edge of the heel portion of a conventional type shoe, when said heel portion is engaged by' said fourth portion, said first portion being sufficiently long with respect to a shoe: ofaverageelength asit'o' cause thezsame to assume a reverse" curve.

WM. M. RENNER.

REFERENCES CITED The iollowing references are of record in the file; of? this: patent:

UNIZJIED: STATES PATENTS Name Date 872,013. Powis Nov. 26, 1907 8952816 Towle Aug. 11, 1908 927,281 Beach July 6, 1909 13631;?85 Batti-lani June 7-, 1927 191 72041: Eegge Ju1y 4z 1-933 V 250415695 Glark et ali May-2631936 

